1. Field of the Invention
This specification relates to the field of vascular treatment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Sclerotherapy can be used to treat blood vessels, blood vessel malformations, and similar problems in other body systems, such as the lymphatic system, and has been used in various forms for over 150 years. In its more modern form, sclerotherapy has been used since the 1960's, in Europe, for treating various vein conditions such as; varicose veins, reticular veins, spider veins of the leg, and also some fine facial veins.
Sclerotherapy can be used to treat these conditions by instigating vascular fibrosis and obliteration in response to irreversible endothelial cellular destruction and exposure of the underlying subendothelial cell layer. This destruction is usually caused by the injection of a sclerosant into the vein. However, if the injected sclerosant is too weak, there may be no endothelial injury at all. If the sclerosant is a little stronger, the varicose vessel is damaged, but recanalization occurs and an incompetent pathway for retrograde blood flow persists. Finally, if the injected sclerosant is too strong, the varicose vessel endothelium is destroyed, but adjacent vessels that are not targeted for treatment may also be damaged by the sclerosant.
The requirement for an ideal strength of the sclerosant is complicated by the constant flow of blood through the vein that is being treated. This flow simultaneously dilutes, and thereby weakens, the sclerosant, while also transporting the sclerosant to other parts of the vascular system.
Thus, improved methods and devices for treating the vascular system are desired.